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NASA NTRS1988

Climatology of the stratospheric polar vortex and planetary wave breaking

The distribution of Ertel's potential vorticity (PV) on the 850 K isentropic surface is used to establish a climatology for the transient evolution of the planetary scale circulation in the Northern Hemisphere winter midstratosphere. PV distributions are computed from gridded NMC daily temperature and height maps for the 10 and 30 mb levels, and show that a very good approximation for 850 K PV can be derived from 10 mb heights and temperatures alone. It is assumed that reversals of the latitudinal gradient of PV, localized in longitude and latitude may be regarded as signatures of planetary wave breaking. Wave breaking identified by such signatures tends to occur mainly in the vicinity of the Aleutian anticyclone, with a secondary maximum over Europe. The area of the polar vortex, defined as the area enclosed by PV contours greater than a certain critical value, is strongly influenced by wave breaking. Erosion of the polar vortex due to transport and mixing of PV leads to a preconditioned state, when defined in terms of vortex area, that always occurs prior to major stratospheric warmings. During winters with little PV transport or mixing, the vortex area evolves rather uniformly in response to radiative forcing. During winters with major sudden warmings, the wave breaking signature as defined here first appears at low values of PV, then rapidly moves toward higher values as the vortex area is reduced and the 'surf-zone' structure becomes well defined.

Baldwin, Mark P.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A critical evaluation of a three-dimensional Navier-Stokes method as a tool to calculate transonic flows inside a low-aspect-ratio compressor

A numerical study to evaluate a three-dimensional Navier-Stokes method as a tool to predict the detailed flow field inside a low-aspect-ratio compressor at various operating conditions was conducted. The details of the flow structure inside a low aspect ratio compressor (three-dimensional shock structure, shock-boundary layer interaction, and tip leakage vortex) and the overall aerodynamic performance at design and off-design conditions are numerically analyzed and the results are compared with the available experimental data. The flow field inside a state-of-the-art transonic compressor is used for the purpose of the evaluation.

Hah, Chunill↗

NASA NTRS1992

Bounded energy states in homogeneous turbulent shear flow - An alternative view

The equilibrium structure of homogeneous turbulent shear flow is investigated from a theoretical standpoint. Existing turbulence models, in apparent agreement with physical and numerical experiments, predict an unbounded exponential time growth of the turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate; only the anisotropy tensor and turbulent time scale reach a structural equilibrium. It is shown that if a residual vortex stretching term is maintained in the dissipation rate transport equation, then there can exist equilibrium solutions, with bounded energy states, where the turbulence production is balanced by its dissipation. Illustrative calculations are presented for a k-epsilon model modified to account for net vortex stretching.

Bernard, P. S.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of gradual opening in a wave rotor passage

The evolution of the contact interface and the propagation of compression waves inside a single wave rotor passage gradually opening to and traversing an inlet port is studied numerically using an inviscid formulation of the governing equations. Insights into the response of the interface and kinematics of the flow field to various opening times are given. Since the opening time is inversely proportional to the rotational speed of the rotor, the effects of passage rotation such as centripetal and Coriolis accelerations are intrinsically coupled to the gradual opening process. Certain three-dimensional features associated with the gradual opening process as a result of centripetal and Coriolis accelerations are illustrated. For the range of opening times or rotational speeds considered, a portion of the interface behaves like a vortex sheet that can degenerate into a complex interfacial structure. The vortices produced along the interface can serve as a stirring mechanism to promote local mixing. Coriolis and centripetal accelerations can introduce three dimensional effects such as interfacial distortions in meridional planes and spanwise migration of fluid elements.

Larosiliere, Louis M.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of gradual opening in a wave rotor passage

Larosiliere, Louis M.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Use of Fourier transforms for asynoptic mapping: Applications to the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite microwave limb sounder

Fourier analysis has been applied to data obtained from limb viewing instruments on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. A coordinate system rotation facilitates the efficient computation of Fourier transforms in the temporal and longitudinal domains. Fields such as ozone (O3), chlorine monoxide (ClO), temperature, and water vapor have been transformed by this process. The transforms have been inverted to provide maps of these quantities at selected times, providing a method of accurate time interpolation. Maps obtained by this process show evidence of both horizontal and vertical transport of important trace species such as O3 and ClO. An examination of the polar regions indicates that large-scale planetary variations are likely to play a significant role in transporting midstratospheric O3 into the polar regions. There is also evidence that downward transport occurs, providing a means of moving O3 into the polar vortex at lower altitudes. The transforms themselves show the structure and propagation characteristics of wave variations.

Elson, Lee S.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Static Aeroelastic Modeling of a Sub-Scale Wind Tunnel Model with Novel Flap Concept

This paper examines the static aeroelastic modeling of a flexible wind tunnel model equipped with a novel control effector known as the Variable Camber Continuous Trailing Edge Flap (VCCTEF) system. The wind tunnel model is an approximately 10 percent sub-scale version of a wing designed to be equipped on a commerical transport aircraft such as the full-scale NASA Generic Transport Model (GTM). The structure of the model is made highly flexible such that a 10 percent of semi-span wing tip deflection is expected at a design lift condition, and a representation of the VCCTEF concept is incorporated on the model. Static aeroelastic modeling is conducted by using a representative single beam structural finite-element model coupled to a vortex-lattice aerodynamic model. The resulting aeroelastic model of the flexible wind tunnel model is compared against experimental wind tunnel test results from the actual model tested at the University of Washington Aeronautical Laboratory (UWAL). Comparison cases are made using reference and VICON measurements of VCCTEF flap deflections from the wind tunnel test data, and percent errors between the lift curve parameters are presented. The results show up to a maximum percent of error of <10% with regards to lift curve slope values between the aeroelastic model and the UWAL test data. The agreement of lift curve slope values from the aeroelastic model and experimental test results serves as validation for the coupled vortex-lattice finite-element static aeroelastic model.

Aeroelasticity↗

NASA NTRS1986

Generation of 'artificial' bursts in a turbulent boundary layer

In an effort to better understand the physics and structure of coherent events in a turbulent boundary layer, an attempt is made to produce 'artificial' bursts. These are generated in a unique turbulent boundary layer, developed on a flat plate towed in an 18-m water channel, and thus with negligible freestream turbulence. The burst-like events are produced by either withdrawing near-water fluid from two minute holes separated in the spanwise direction, or by pitching a miniature delta wing that is flush-mounted to the wall. Either of these two actions generates a hairpin-like vortex and low-speed streak that resemble naturally occurring structures. The resulting sequence of events that occur at a given location can be controlled at will, thus allowing detailed examination via phase-locked measurements and flow visualization. In this paper, the artificial bursts are compared with natural, random bursts, using flow visualization and hot-film signals. Detailed quantitative data on topographical details and dynamical significance of the bursting structure will be addressed in a forthcoming article.

Gad-El-hak, M.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Investigation of Turbulent Tip Leakage Vortex in an Axial Water Jet Pump with Large Eddy Simulation

Detailed steady and unsteady numerical studies were performed to investigate tip clearance flow in an axial water jet pump. The primary objective is to understand physics of unsteady tip clearance flow, unsteady tip leakage vortex, and cavitation inception in an axial water jet pump. Steady pressure field and resulting steady tip leakage vortex from a steady flow analysis do not seem to explain measured cavitation inception correctly. The measured flow field near the tip is unsteady and measured cavitation inception is highly transient. Flow visualization with cavitation bubbles shows that the leakage vortex is oscillating significantly and many intermittent vortex ropes are present between the suction side of the blade and the tip leakage core vortex. Although the flow field is highly transient, the overall flow structure is stable and a characteristic frequency seems to exist. To capture relevant flow physics as much as possible, a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) calculation and a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) were applied for the current investigation. The present study reveals that several vortices from the tip leakage vortex system cross the tip gap of the adjacent blade periodically. Sudden changes in local pressure field inside tip gap due to these vortices create vortex ropes. The instantaneous pressure filed inside the tip gap is drastically different from that of the steady flow simulation. Unsteady flow simulation which can calculate unsteady vortex motion is necessary to calculate cavitation inception accurately even at design flow condition in such a water jet pump.

Hah, Chunill↗

NASA NTRS1990

Incompressible spatially-developing free-shear flows

The first goal of this research is to understand the dynamics of three dimensional vortical structures, especially the interaction of the ribs and two dimensional rollers. Because of vortex stretching effects, this requires accurate and well resolved simulations. Another goal is to distinguish temporally- and spatially-growing shear layers in terms of the dynamics and observed vortical structures. This is important since the former is much easier to compute, but the error incurred in using temporal results for certain applications is unknown. The third goal is to investigate the effects of asymmetry on passive scalar mixing and fast-chemistry product formation. In this report a brief summary of a new numerical method is presented, followed by results for mixing layers and wake flows.

Buell, J. C.↗

DOE OSTI2015

GPU-based simulation of the two-dimensional unstable structure of gaseous oblique detonations

In this paper, the two-dimensional structure of unstable oblique detonations induced by the wedge from a supersonic combustible gas flow is simulated using the reactive Euler equations with a one-step Arrhenius chemistry model. A wide range of activation energy of the combustible mixture is considered. Computations are performed on the Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) to reduce the simulation runtimes. A large computational domain covered by a uniform mesh with high grid resolution is used to properly capture the development of instabilities and the formation of different transverse wave structures. After the initiation point, where the oblique shock transits into a detonation, an instability begins to manifest and in all cases, the left-running transverse waves first appear, followed by the subsequent emergence of right-running transverse waves forming the dual-head triple point structure. This study shows that for low activation energies, a long computational length must be carefully considered to reveal the unstable surface due to the slow growth rate of the instability. For high activation energies, the flow behind the unstable oblique detonation features the formation of unburnt gas pockets and strong vortex-pressure wave interaction resulting in a chaotic-like vortical structure.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA NTRS1988

Interaction of fluids and structures for aircraft applications

Strong interactions occur between the flow about an aircraft and its structural components, which result in several important aeroelastic phenomena which can significantly influence performance. For example, aircraft with highly swept wings experience vortex-induced aeroelastic oscillations. The simulation of these complex aeroelastic phenomena requires coupling the fluid and structural analysis. This paper provides a summary of the development of such coupled methods and their applications to aeroelasticity. Results based on the transonic small-perturbation equations and the Euler equations are presented.

Guruswamy, Guru P.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Vortex creep and the internal temperature of neutron stars Timing noise in pulsars

Vortex creep theory is used to construct model noise power spectra for three physically distinct types of events which might give rise to pulsar timing noise. These are 'pure' events, in which vortex unpinning is the source of the initial frequency jump; 'mixed' events, in which the initial frequency jump is produced by some physical process other than vortex unpinning but leads to the unpinning of some vortices; and 'external' events, in which the initial frequency jumps responsible for noise do not involve any vortex unpinning. For the first two types of events, it is found that relaxation processes in the region responsible for the noise will give rise to structure in the observed power spectra, while for external events, the resulting noise spectra will not be influenced by vortex creep. The theoretical results are compared with observed power spectra for 25 pulsars. The absence of structure in the observed power spectra of the Crab and Vela pulsars within the range of time scales which characterize their postglitch behavior indicates that the pinning regions which play a role in postglitch behavior do not experience the small unpinning events leading to timing noise.

Alpar, M. Ali↗

NASA NTRS1976

Convective merging of vortex cores in lift-generated wakes

The several wake vortices which originate from aircraft wingtips, flap edges, engine pylons, etc. usually merge, in the far field, to form a single pair whose structure determines the hazard posed to encountering aircraft. To gain an understanding of the process whereby vortices merge and disperse, a numerical study was made of the interaction of two-dimensional, time-dependent, inviscid vortical regions. It was found that discrete boundaries, which depend on the structure and spacing of the vortices, distinguish merging from nonmerging situations. Furthermore, certain arrays of finite vortex cores that alternate in sign were found to undergo division and merging that may be useful in alleviating the hazard posed by aircraft wakes.

Rossow, V. J.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Vortex maneuver lift for super-cruise configurations

Some of the theoretical and experimental research conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center is presented to investigate the subsonic vortex-lift producing capabilities for two classes of Super-Cruise designs: a close-coupled wing-canard arrangement and a slender wing configuration. In addition, several analytical methods are discussed for estimating critical structural design loads for thin, highly swept wings having separated leading-edge vortex flows.

Campbell, J. F.↗

DOE OSTI2016

Equilibrium vortex lattices of a binary rotating atomic Bose–Einstein condensate with unequal atomic masses

We perform a detailed numerical study of the equilibrium ground-state structures of a binary rotating Bose–Einstein condensate with unequal atomic masses. Our results show that the ground-state distribution and its related vortex configurations are complex events that differ markedly depending strongly on the strength of rotation frequency, as well as on the ratio of atomic masses. We also discuss the structures and radii of the clouds, the number and the size of the core region of the vortices, as a function of the rotation frequency, and of the ratio of atomic masses, and the analytical results agree well with our numerical simulations. This work may open an alternate way in the quantum control of the binary rotating quantum gases with unequal atomic masses. - Highlights: • A binary quantum gases with unequal atomic masses is considered. • Effects of the ratio of atomic masses and rotation frequency are discussed in full parameter space. • The detailed information about both the cloud and vortices are also discussed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA NTRS1992

Measurements of the flow around a lifting-wing/body junction

Detailed measurements of all three mean velocity components and five of the six Reynolds stresses have been made around a model of a lifting-wing/body junction. The body was the flat working section floor of a small blower wind tunnel. Measurements of the surface pressure distribution on the NACA 0012 wing showed that the lift coefficient at the body surface was reduced by only 16 percent from the freestream value. It is shown that the near constancy of the bound vorticity requires the formation of aixal vorticity within the body boundary layer. This vorticity was concentrated in the two legs of the necklace vortex formed near the leading edge of the wing. The magnitude of the vorticity was always greater in the leg that developed on the suction surface. By four chord lengths downstream of the trailing edge, the turbulence structure of the suction leg was qualitatively similar to that of a single vortex imbedded in a turbulent boundary layer.

Wood, D. H.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Visualization and Quantification of Rotor Tip Vortices in Helicopter Flows

Helicopter aeromechanics encompasses a highly vortical flow field. The vortices generated at each blade tip contain unsteady, complex, three-dimensional structures, which interact with each other, other blades, the fuselage and various components of the helicopter. It is crucial to understand vortex kinematics and their subsequent dynamic evolution. Much research has been devoted to the understanding of helicopter vortex dynamics, including a number of experimental studies.1-6 In May 2010 Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements of a full-scale UH-60A rotor were acquired in the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel.1 These measurements were taken at a plane just downstream of the advancing blade in the vicinity of the blade tip—the so-called PIV plane. The resulting PIV data were then processed using an ensemble-average approach to create graphical representations of the vortical wake velocity and vorticity fields, which, in turn, have enhanced the understanding of rotorcraft vortical wake flow field physics and have provided a more detailed validation of vortical wake computer simulations.7 A common approach used to analyze flow field features is to compute and plot color contour maps of various scalar quantities such as pressure, velocity magnitude and vorticity magnitude. For example, the color map of the vorticity magnitude is typically used to determine vortical flow structure. With this approach the vortex core may appear larger or smaller, depending on the contour levels that are selected. Thus, the resulting visualization is sensitive to user-specified contour levels. For vortex core radius measurements, it is more accurate to calculate the vortex core radius using the cross-flow velocity profile across the vortex core. The task of extracting the cross-flow velocity profile can be time consuming with existing tools since the user needs to manually select the core center then specify sampling points along the profile axis. The task becomes even more challenging when the associated grid system uses AMR (Adaptive Mesh Refinement) where the profile axis could span multiple grid blocks. There are a number of existing techniques for profiling of vortex core attributes;8-9 however, these techniques are not fully automatic in that the user still needs to select the vortex core center to compute the cross-flow velocity profile. The present study introduces a new color map scheme that is based on the vortex core radius, which is fully automatic and does not require user intervention. Analysis and visualization of blade tip vortices on the PIV plane using the proposed new color map scheme are described in Section II. The new approach is evaluated using two case studies, which are described in Section III. The paper ends with a summary in Section IV.

Quantification↗